Blogger Hacks: Apps for Nice Photos

I get a few inquiries here and there about the various photo-editing apps I use on my phone. I do have a variety and I use them accordingly, depending on what needs to be done. Ultimately, the goal is to be able to have an “enhanced” photo that is still close to the original (and by no means inauthentic). I hope you do enjoy my selection and put them to good use; I thought long and hard about sharing this with everyone but in the end, I figured, it would do everyone good anyway. With the new upgrade and update on Instagram, photo sharing is made more enjoyable and exciting (no lie) and if you’re anything like me, you want to make sure your Instagram grid is clean, curated, real, but with your best foot forward still.

Disclaimer: This is based on the apps I’ve been using for the past 2 years or so on my MAC OS. I have yet to use an android phone though I was recently given an Asus Zenselfie and I heard the phone minimises my need for apps like this. That said, since I have yet to tinker with my new phone, so apps will have to do for the meantime.

1. Snapseed

I personally use Snapseed to adjust the depth of field on a few of my photos, especially those with a fixed subject (be it myself or an object) that needs to stand out from the background. The thing I love about Snapseed is that it has quite a comprehensive set of features that you can have fun experimenting with and yet, it doesn’t really change your image drastically.

2. VSCO Cam

VSCO cam is a blogger favourite–if you fancy the faded, washed-out photos you’re accustomed to seeing on a top blogger’s feed then you can bet your butt that they’re using VSCO cam, specifically the free filter from hypebeast: HB1. I use VSCO cam for their artsy array of filters though their free filters are great enough as it is for street shots, landscape, portraits, or macros. Though they have tools for you to edit, their editing capabilities are very incremental.

3. Phonto

I’m a Creative person at heart and so Typography is very important to me. I do like being able to edit some photos with stylised quotes/phrases hence I love Phonto. Though there are a lot of typography apps (a popular choice would be PicLab), Phonto has quite a good range of fonts and is quite easy to use.

4. Camera 360

Camera 360 is the best selfie app, made by Asians for Asians–it has features that can smoothen your skin, make your eyes larger, and add flattering filters. In fact, because this app does wonders for one’s face, a lot of bloggers use it… but because it is often used, it is most often abused as well and if you overdo some features, instead of enhancing, you’ll end up looking like an abstract painting so proceed with caution.

5. Afterlight

Afterlight is an app you have to buy for a price (at least, it was 2 years ago when I first downloaded it). It functions a bit like VSCO where you get vintage-themed filters but the great thing about Afterlight is that you can customise filters and use a variety of its tools/features extensively. Personally, if I want to fix the lighting or the sharpness of a photo, I opt to use Afterlight. Another bonus is that this app has light leaks if you want those “rave” photos and they also have various artsy borders.

Hope I gave everyone enough insight and a list of new apps to download. I usually find photo-editing to be therapeutic especially when I’m waiting for something. Here is a photo set where I used an app to get the somewhat “faded” filter. Fancy a guess which one it might be?

Blogger Hacks: Apps for Nice Photos was last modified: August 31st, 2015 by Dominique Tiu